Cops: Amber Alert Issued for Girl, 9, After Uncle Picks Her Up At School And They Disappear

by Deborah Hastings7:35 PM EDT, May 5, 2016

An Amber Alert has been issued for a nine-year-old Tennessee girl picked up from school by her uncle, who said her father had been badly injured in a car accident, according to police.

Carlie Trent, who has blond hair and blue eyes, was last seen Wednesday afternoon leaving with Gary Simpson, 57, who had signed parental permission to collect the child at her elementary school, said a spokesperson for the Rogersville Police Department.

The pair have not been seen since then. The Amber Alert was issued Thursday, as was a warrant for Simpson's arrest on suspicion of kidnapping.

The uncle had previously picked up the child from school, and officials said employees followed proper procedure Wednesday in allowing Simpson to fetch Carlie because written permission was on file allowing him to do so.

In a statement, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesman Josh DeVine said the child had been picked up "under false pretenses." Simpson "has no custodial rights to Carlie. Currently, their whereabouts are unknown," he said.